Football star Charles N'Zogbia was arrested yesterday for allegedly paying someone else to take his driving test.

Suspicions were first raised at the £25,000-a-week Premier League player's compulsory theory exam several months ago.

Staff with the Driving Standards Agency - currently involved in a major crackdown on the growing fraud - noticed that the man who turned up with N'Zogbia's provisional licence did not look like him.

Yesterday the £6million Wigan Athletic winger, 23, was held by police as he arrived in person for his practical test.

N'Zogbia's hopes of making England's World Cup squad rocketed when he scored a stunning injury-time winner in the 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Sunday.

But last night he was being investigated further after being released on bail from Altrincham police station in Cheshire after questions by DSA investigators.

He faces a maximum of 10 years in jail if he is charged and convicted.

The man who allegedly pretended to be him has not yet been arrested, sources said.

Greater Manchester police said: "At 8.30am officers working alongside the DSA arrested a 23-year-old man at Sale driving test centre on suspicion of fraud by false representation." It is understood Wigan Athletic will monitor any legal action against their star player before they decide on a course of action.

The DSA estimates that up to 8,000 people a year fraudulently obtain driving licences by hiring others to impersonate them.

Some fraudsters have taken hundreds of tests across Britain for other people - charging up to £500 a time. They generally alter their appearance to look more like the provisional licence-holders.

N'Zogbia, who was born at Harfleur in Normandy, has played for France's Under-21 team 13 times but snubbed a call-up to the country's full international side this season in the hope of switching allegiance to England.

His career in the Premier League began in 2004 when the late Sir Bobby Robson signed him for Newcastle United from Le Havre.

He became a big success with fans but decided to leave after a number of incidents soured his relationship with the club.

The final straw came when former Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear insulted him in a live TV interview after a defeat by mispronouncing his name as Charles Insomnia.

N'Zogbia vowed never to play for the club again under Kinnear and was transferred to Wigan in January last year for a £6million fee.

His brilliant form has helped to keep Wigan above the relegation zone and convinced manager Roberto Martinez he can gatecrash England's World Cup squad for South Africa.